To Be Pleasing
by Krugerstop
Summary: [ON HIATUS] A servant's job is never done. Olivia knows her life serving the King and his court will not be an easy one. Especially when King Stefan sees potential in the little maid to become a mistress. Events within occur during the Maleficent storyline.
1. Chapter 1

_**AN: Once again my love for Sharlto Copley insists I write more fanfiction about his characters.**_

_**I'll be interested to see how people react to this, considering (from what I've seen) people universally HATE Stefan and have no interest in him. **_

_**For those of you who will read along, thank you very much. Reviews are always appreciated.**_

_**Enjoy!**_

* * *

_As a servant, your class does not bless you with easy choices or a comfortable life. It's important to remember that your worth is meaningless to everyone around you. Your ability to serve your masters is your heart's desire and nothing else must interrupt._ These guidelines are taught at an early age; at least this was the case for Olivia.

The little redhead tugged at the linens, trying to pry the fabric from the line. When the pins did not give way, she tightened the bundle in her grip and gave one last sharp tug. Finally the pins snapped, sending her backwards onto the grass. She did not have to look to know the old biddies around her were giving her a disapproving glare. They really shouldn't do that, she thought. Not only were their looks hurtful, but she was still just a little girl trying to learn.

"I swear you are the clumsiest thing, child," one of them scolded. Olivia knit her brows in a tight scowl but said nothing. The last thing she wanted was another spanking with the switch.

The ladies gave her a handful of folded linens and sent her inside to put them away with the others. She carefully stepped around puddles on the cold stone floor, squeezed by other servants wringing clothes and fabrics through the washtubs, and ran up a flight of steps to deliver the sheets to the maids.

Before she returned to the lawn, she noticed a crowd of young men standing in the doorway across the hall. They were dirty, dressed in rags with greasy hair plastered to their heads. Most of them were older boys. One in particular shuffled behind, looking up at the rafters high above his head and taking in the splendor of the castle. Olivia had been here for at least 7 months now and still wasn't over just how grand the palace seemed to be. He turned, eyes falling from the vaults and onto her. The two stared at another out of curiosity. He could only be a few years older, a thin boy with a slender and crooked nose. When he waved, she gave a polite nod and watched him disappear with the others behind closed doors.

"Who were they?" Olivia tugged on the skirt of the nearest maid.

"Probably here to serve His Majesty. Stable boys I should think."

"Oh."

She wondered if maybe this was her chance to make a new friend, to find a bond with another who stood alone in this world. But she would never even know his name.

* * *

Olivia had not become a blossom of a woman like some of the others. She saw only a plain face when she looked in the mirror, but she considered herself blessed with a rosy complexion, bountiful curves, and freckles that dusted her cheeks and figure. For years she had been subjected to teasing for the spots, but she came to love and think of them like a sea of stars. Shorter than most and rather plump, she felt fate had dealt her a lifetime of cherub-like cuteness. But she would not allow herself to be compared to others beauty. She was happy with who she was, despite the environment that nearly crippled her into thinking otherwise.

The years living as a servant in King Henry's court brought many trials. Familiar faces were taken away and replaced, sickness once threatened to overtake her, and wars outside the kingdom walls affected everyone. Olivia's childlike joy traded in for bitter thoughts and unhappiness in her heart. She caught herself staring out of windows at the rain, and apologized when she was caught in the act of negligence to her chores. Despite what her superiors thought of her, she was praised for her subservient attitude. She blamed the years of serving for that; years of being punished and spoken down to broke her and left her hollow. Often she would look in the mirror and wonder where the little girl inside of her had gone.

One evening, while she and another girl prepared the young princess Leila's bed for the evening, a group of maids came bustling in, giggling and reaching for the other maid. Olivia tuned out their noisy tittering and made to fluff the pillows.

"Leila is to be married!" One of them shrieked, and immediately the room filled with questions and good wishes.

"But to who?"

"One of King Henry's men."

"But not a prince?"

"No no, His Majesty promised her hand in marriage and the throne if someone were to kill the witch of the Moors!"

Olivia couldn't help but stray away from her work and listen to their chatter. If the princess was to be married, then the man responsible must have managed to murder the supposed "witch" that governed over the Moors, a curious and forbidden forest that grew outside the kingdom. She felt an odd pinch in her chest at the news. Ever since she could remember she wanted to know of the fairyland and all its secrets. Now she figured she would never know, as King Henry had made it clear that he did not care for fairy folk or their magic. Surely he would have the forest burned.

"You mean the fairy?" She asked, correcting them.

"It's all the same, isn't it?" The girl sneered. "Magic and demons, that's all they are."

Olivia gave her a cross look but said nothing. After all these years she still couldn't bring herself to mouth off to anyone.

Before the man accountable for the fairy's death was crowned, King Henry slipped into death after days of lying in his bed as an old and injured sovereign, leaving only his daughter Leila behind. 'Good riddance,' Olivia thought to herself, but comforted the princess when she came to bed crying.

On the day of the coronation, everyone was to attend so they could see their new king face to face. Farmers left their fields and merchants abandoned their markets to crowd outside the doors of the throne room. The people of the land would have to wait to see him, but the servants, the court, and the invited royalty watched on as the princess took her late mother's throne, followed after by a young man with a slender and crooked nose. Immediately Olivia recognized him as the boy she had seen all those years ago. Those features were quite distinguishable. Pardoning herself through the crowd, she made to stand atop a set of stairs with a group of chambermaids who were fawning over Leila's gown. Could the man with all his royal adornments and golden crown really be him? No longer dirty with a melancholic face, he was handsome now, with a lopsided smile and cutting cheekbones. She didn't need to touch her cheeks to realize she blushed at the sight of him.

While the celebration carried on into the evening, Olivia was called away. Sent out to the cellars, she hurried quickly down an empty hallway, only lit by the warm torches overhead. The castle was notorious for being a rather cold and depressing place, but the nights made it far worse.

As she rounded the corner, she noticed the gleam of glass catching the moonlight. She approached the cabinet and peered in at the black form resting inside. A large pair of wings like those of a bird sat poised as if they were at rest. They were much too large for a falcon or any bird she had ever seen, and she wondered why they were here, put on display like a trophy of war.

Reminding herself to get back to the wine, Olivia lifted her skirts and proceeded to run down the corridor, unaware of the pitiful bouts of fluttering the wings gave.


	2. Author's Note

_**AN: Dear readers, I'm sorry to say this, but for now, this fic is on hiatus. I've given it some thought and struggled with the decision, but I cannot write two fics simultaneously. I have another that's more important and demands more of my attention. **_

_**I will return to this story in time, but I'm not sure when. I hope to see some other Stefan fics pop up while I'm gone. ;)**_

_**Thank you to those who will be patient with me. **_

_**-Olivia**_


End file.
